Refrigerating apparatus



- April 30, 1935.

w. 6. MEYER REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed May 27, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Eli/M66 3% BY 6 Mo ATTORN EYS Patented Apr. 30, 1935 UNITED STATES 1,999,977 REFRIGERATING APPARATUS William 0. Meyer, 'Buffalo, N. Y., assignor to.

Meyer Body Company, Inc., Buffalo, N.-Y., a corporation of New York Application my 27, 1933, Serial No. 573,249

11 Claims.

This invention relates to a refrigerating apparatus and more particularly to a refrigerating apparatus employing a solid sublimating refrigerant such as solid carbon dioxide blocks and used in cooling trucks, such as ice cream trucks or trucks carrying other perishable products.

Refrigerator units of this character are suspended from the roofs of such trucksand it has heretofore been the custom to provide a hatch in the roofs through which the blocksof solid carbon dioxide ice were placed in the refrigerating unit. Not only was it impossible to properly insulate such hatchways against the heat ofthe sun beating down on the roofs of the trucks, but it was also impracticable to entirelyprevent leakage of the carbon dioxide gas through the hatchways. Inasmuch as the leakage of carbon dioxide gas from immediately adjacent the refrigerating unit dissipated valuable refrigeration, the dissipation of refrigeration through the hatchways represented a very substantial loss.

It is therefore one of the principal objects of this invention to provide a refrigerating unit of this character which loads from within, the refrigerator thereby avoiding the necessity of an overhead hatchway and its attendant loss of refrigeration as well as avoiding the necessity of lifting the-blocks or carbon dioxide to the roof of the truck in refilling the refrigerating unit.

Another object of the present invention is to provide such a unit in which the blocks of solid carbon dioxide ice are readily placed in the refrigerator unit by the provision of a hinged holder atmosphere within the trick body.

for the blocks of ice which drop down to a'convenient angle for placing the blocks of carbon dioxide ice therein and are then readily elevated so as to lift the blocks of carbon dioxide ice into the unit.

provide such a unit which occupies but a small amount of overhead space and permits the refrigerator truck to be loaded to full capacity.

Another aim of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator unit of this character having a plurality of radiating fins which greatly increase the efficiency of the refrigerating unit by increasing the radiating surface exposed to the Another object of the present invention is to provide, within the same compartment containing the carbon dioxide ice, bodies of suitable material which are cooled by their contact with the extremely cold carbon dioxide gas and slowly dissipate their refrigeration after the carbon dioxide ice has evaporated. By this means, the

effective cooling period of thecarbon dioxide ice is greatly extended and the necessity for recharging the refrigerator unit correspondingly reduced. In the preferred embodiment of the invention the material for thus extending the effective period of the refrigerating unit is a strongly saline solution of calcium chloride contained in tanks which can be readily removed from the unit and removed and replaced as may be required.

Other objects ofthe present invention are to provide such a refrigerating unit'which is compact, strong and can be readily assembled at low cost.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a refrigerator unit made in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal central section, taken on line 2-4, Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a transverse central section, taken 20 on: line"33, Fig. 1. v 9

Fig- 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view similar to Fig. -3.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal fragmentary section, taken on line 55, Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view similar to Fig. 2 and showing the latching means for the solid carbon dioxide ice holder.

Fig. 7 is .an enlarged fragmentary viewsimilar to Fig. 2 and showing the hinge construction for the solid carbon dioxide ice holder. Fig. 8 is a phantom perspective view of a refrigerator truck body showing a pair of refrigerator units installed therein.

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the refrigerator unit. Fig. 10 is an end elevation thereof. While the refrigerator unit embodying my invention is intended primarily for use in connec- Another object of the present invention is to tained into the compartment or compartments 5 within the body.

, The refrigerator unit comprises a box-like shallow body having a top wall I6, a bottom wall I! and relatively low side walls i8. This body is preferably made of sheet metal and the walls, top

and bottom suitably welded together. The body is supported from the roof of the refrigerator body by a pair of hangers or straps I 9, the ends of which are secured to the roof and the intermediato part of which embraces the refrigerator body. The lower wall 11' is provided between these hangers with a square central opening 20'.

In this opening is'arranged a frame 2| which has a depending flange 22 extending downwardly through the opening 20. A plurality of hinges 23 are suitably secured to the underside of one of the hangers l9 and these hinges support the frame 24 of a carbon dioxide ice holder 25. This frame is provided with a bottom plate 26 which is set into the frame and the frame bars are of angle 'form so as to form an upwardly extending rimv 21 which extends around the depending flange 22 of .the frame 2| whenthe carbon dioxide ice holder 25 formed by the frame 24 and its bottom plate 26 are raised to a horizontal position. I

The downwardniovementof the carbon dioxide ice holder is limited to apair of links indicated generally-at 28. Each pair of'linlfs comprises a link 29 suitably secured to depending ears 3!! on the underside of the refrigerator body at the opposite end of the opening" from the hinges 23 and another link 3| connecting the link 29 with the free end of the carbon dioxide ice holder. When the carbon dioxide ice holder is lowered to the limit determined by the links 29 and 3| the blocks 32 of carbon dioxide ice can be readily lifted into the holder, and are retained therein by the rim 2'1, as best indicated in Fig. 2.

After the blocks of carbon dioxide ice are so placed, the ice holdenis lifted, the links 29 and 3| moving toward the hinged end of the ice holder and assuming a horizontal position along;

the outer side of the ice holder, asfbest shown in Fig. 1. In so lifting the ice holder the blocks-32 of solid carbon dioxide ice are, of course, elevated within the body of the refrigerator of or pounds which may be caused by too rapid sublimation of the carbon dioxide ice.

In order to prevent too rapid escape-of the car'- bon dioxide gas-generated by the ice blocks 32 within the body, a gasket 36 is arranged around.

' the depending flange 22 of the, frame 2| and enages the upper edge of them 21 of the ice holder 25 when the ice holder 25 is in its closed or e vated position.

beyond the opposite ends of the opening 20, 1 through which the carbon dioxide ice blocks 'are 60 introduced and in eachof the end spaces 31 is arranged a tank 38 having a filling neck'39 on its upper side. These tanks are removably supported in the spaces 31 so that they can be removed through the opening 20 and are held against shifting by lugs 40 on the bottom of the unit. By resting the tank 38 directly on the bottom ll of the body of the unit 20 heat is readily adsorbed by the brine in the tanks 38 from the body. These tanks are chilled by direct contact of the carbon dioxide ice blocks with the metal of the unit which is in direct contact with the tanks, and by the circulatinggases emanating from the carbon dioxide ice. The tanks are adapted to be filled with a strong solution of calcium chloride 75 and water having also preferably asmall amount The body of the refrigerator unit isextended of lime so as to prevent any corrosive action of this solution. The solution is preferably of such strength so that at the temperatures of the carbon dioxide gas the solution becomes partly solidified or congealed so that the maximum amount of heat is'required to convert it into its original state. solution, after the carbon dioxide ice blocks 32 have completely evaporated, continues the absorption of heat from the atmosphere within the truck body, thereby extending the effective period of refrigeration of the unit.

Each of the four side walls l8 of the body of the refrigerator is made of open ended, C-shaped channel form so as to form open .ended channels 42 at each side of the unit. The top wall 16 and the bottom wall I! are preferably secured to the channel shaped side walls l8 by bending their edges around the flanges of the side walls l8, as best shown in Fig. 4.

The body is so formed with channels to receive radiating fins 44 which are madeof sheet metal and project outwardlyYin a horizontal direction from the body and are firmly wedged in the channels 42 so as to increase the radiating efllciency of the unit. For. this purpose the inner end of each of the radiating fins is bent laterally so as to form a pointed portion '45, and is then bent at right angles in the opposite direction, as indicated at 46, andthe opposite end of the portion 46 is curled, as indicated at 41. The projecting part of each of the radiating fins is, of course, of less height than its bent attaching portion so that the attaching portions fit within the open ended channels 42 and the radiating portions project outwardly from these channels, as best indicated in Fig. 4. In placing the radiating fins in position the pointed part 45 of each fin wedges behind the curled part 41 of the next succeeding radiating fin, thereby pressing this curled part 41 outwardly and into firm engagement with the reversely bent edges 43 of the top and bottom walls of the ticularly applicable to refrigerator trucks or the like inasmuch as it avoids the necessity of hatches in the roof of the truck body and the losses which necessarily occur where such overhead hatches are employed. The invention also provides a very simple and inexpensive refrigerating unit in which means are provided for extending the effective period of the unit by the use .of tanks of calcium chloride or'an equivalent material The invention also provides a refrigerating unit having radiating fins which do not increase the depth of the refrigerating unit and at the same time are readily removable should the replacement of any of'the fins be required.

I claim as my invention: 5

1. In arefrigerator, an overhead refrigerant container comprising a body having side and top walls and-a separate bottom wall adapted to support a solid refrigerant and means for lowering said bottom wall to refill-the same with a solid refrigerant, means for latching said bottom in its upper elevated operative position and means for limiting the downward movement of said bottom.

2. In a refrigerator, an overhead refrigerant container comprising a body having top and side walls and a separate bottom wall adapted to support a solid refrigerant, means hingedly connect- ,ing said bottom wall to one of said side walls to swing downwardly to refill the same with a solid refrigerant, means for latching said bottom wall container comprising a sheet metal body having an opening in its bottom, a frame within said body and having a flange projecting downwardly through and around the edges of said opening, a container for a solid refrigerant comprising a frame hinged along a horizontal axis at one edge of said opening and having an upstanding rim embracing said flange when said'container is elevated, means for latching said frame in its elevated operative position andmeans for limiting the downward movement of said frame to permit of readily refilling the frame with said solid refrigerant.

5. 'In a refrigerator, an overhead refrigerant container comprising a body having an opening .in its bottom; at least one strap extending under said body at one edge of said opening and having its ends adapted to be secured to a ceiling and thereby support said body, a container for a solid refrigerant comprising a frame hinged along a horizontal axis to said strap and movable up wardly to close said opening, and means for latching said frame in its upper-operative position, said frame when lowered, being adapted to be readily refilled with said solid refrigerant.

6. In a refrigerator, an overhead refrigerant container, comprising a body having an opening in its bottom, at least one strap extending under said body at one edge of said opening and having its ends adapted to be secured to a ceiling and thereby support said body, a container for a solid refrigerant comprising a frame hinged along a horizontal axis at oneedge of said opening and movable upwardly to close said opening, latch means between the free end of said frame and said strap, said frame, whenlowered, being adapted to be readily refilled with said solid refrigerant.

7. In a refrigerator, an overhead refrigerant container comprising a body having a solid sublimating refrigerant chamber and having another regulating chamber in communication with said refrigerant chamber and a brine tank removably arranged in and partly filling saidregulating chamber, the brine contained in said tank being adapted to gradually absorb heat and continue the refrigerating effect of the refrigerator after said solid sublimating refrigerant is exhausted.

8. In a refrigerator, an overhead refrigerant container comprising a body having an opening in the bottom, and formed to provide a compartment atione side of said opening, a downwardly opening closure for said opening, said closure forming a solid sublimating refrigerant container adapted to be refilled when in its lowered position and an enclosed tank arranged in said compartment and removable through said opening, said tank containing a brine solution adapted to gradually absorb heat and continue the refrigerating effect of said refrigerator .after said solid sublimating refrigerant isexhausted.

9; In a refrigerator, an overhead refrigerant container comprising a relatively broad and shallow substantially rectangular body adapted 'to be hung from a ceiling, said body having flanges projecting outwardly from its upper and lower corners, means'for placing a solid refrigerant in said body and fins having anchoring portions secured between said flanges and extending outwardly in a horizontal direction from the side walls of said body.

projecting outwardly. from its upper and lower corners and forming open ended C;shaped channels along the side walls of said body, means for placing a solid refrigerant in said body and fins having anchoring portions secured between said flanges and extending outwardly in a horizontal direction from the side walls of said body.

11. In a refrigerator, an overhead refrigerant container comprising a relatively broad and shallow substantially rectangular body adapted to be hung from a ceiling, said body having flanges projecting outwardly from its upper and' lower corners and forming open ended C-shaped channels along the side walls of said body, means for placing a solid refrigerant in said body and fins each comprising a plate bent at one end to provide an anchoring portion having a pointed edge at one side of the plane of said fin and a reversely curled part on the opposite side of said plane, said anchoring portions being arranged in said channels with the pointed edges of the fins wed ing between the side wall of said body and the curled'parts of the next succeeding fins whereby said fins are held in said channels without additional fastening means.

i WILLIAM O. MEYER. 

